Wichita eagle., 1887-04-26
A WARNING TO SMOKERS,
Reasons Why . Man Should Not Loan
His Lighted Cigar

| A placid and callow looking Young nan,
who wore silk hat, fur trimmed coat, light
pvergaiters and patent leather shoes. tipped
nimbly UP to a well fed man seated in the
Lindell hotel lobby yesterday and raised O
u,uti!ated 'snipe" to his lips with: "a light,
! If you pleases" The wei fed man continued
/ to work his half smoked cigar while he made
careful search OF seven of his pockets for a
match. The placid, half fed dude kept an
uneasy gaze at the burning cigar. Two min
utes passed. in that way, and the well fed man
was tired, and be showed it.
Il haven't match, but you can probably
get light at the cigar stand" said he, rising
to point out to the Young man an alcohol
blaze not ten steps away.
"Beg y'r pawdou," gasped the callow one,
| while flush OF indignation chased over his
face.
The well fed man resumed his seat and
pulled away serenely at his cigar
That was right observed the first to
speak, "and, though it is little innovation
Of the popular custom, it is a common sense
act. l always carry matches for the benefit
of my friends, as well as for myself, that l
may be able TO smoke my own cigar, but if l
chance to be caught without match never
have tho courage to refuse to turn over my
cigar when asked for Eight 1 consider it
impertinence to ask man for light off his
cigar, but custom has established that imper-
Thence so firmly you are criticised if you at
tempt to inaugurate new era for smokers"
1t is an old, weatherbeaten and foolish
idea that courtesy makes it necessary TO let
every stranger, without consideration of his
occupation, handle your cigar offered a
gentleman on the other side Of the well fed
man. g If l am smoking a cigar and it is
half or three quarters burned. am not going
to let stranger handle it and then turn it
to my mouth. \ gentleman who thinks be-
fore he acts would not expect me TO, and
when happen TO be without q match and do
not feel flush enough TO buy another cigar,
politely inform the man that | am without
a match. 1t is only occasionally you run
upon a man who is SO rude as to ask you why
you don't give him your cigar"
1T was only yesterday" interrupted an at
tentive listener, "that saw a physician stop
cutting the diseased flesh Of a patient and
light cigar. Three minutes later man
dropped around and asked the physician for q
light. He gave it to him would not have
touched his cigar, nor would I have al
lowed him to touch one was smoking, for
man is naturally careless animal There is
an immense number Of persons whose business
it is to handle poisonous substances, and in
addition to these there are not few who &C
cidentally touch matter Of which small
particle will faint cigar The most minute
speck Of poison will cling to the moistened
part of a cigar and, touched to chapped lip,
may destroy your comfort and the beauty of
your face for weeks The drug clerk, COM
pounding prescriptions in which are deadly
poisons, runs out to get one of the ingredients
at another corner, and while on the way con-
siders it his unquestioned privilege, under the
present custom, to ask you for light The
chemist, the scientist, the physician and me-
chanics employed in certain kinds Of labor
are equally dangerous men to give or receive
a light from One workman may have brass
dust on bis fingers as he goes home from work,
but he does not consider that. l will, and
hereafter my cigar will be inviolate. st
Louis Republican.